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An Introduction to the International Importance of Asan Bay to Waterbirds
Nial Moores Conservation
Dr. Nial Moores, Birds Korea, August 31st, 2021
Figure 1. Location of Asan Bay and other wetlands known to be internationally important for shorebirds at the beginning of this century; with additional important wetlands surveyed by the Korea Shorebird Network (in the 2010s) marked with triangles. Adapted from Moores et al. (2016).
Asan Bay, centred at approximately 36°54'N, 126°53'E, is located on the west coast of the Republic of Korea (ROK), with main provincial jurisdiction divided between Chungcheongnam Province (Dangjin and Asan Cities) and Gyeonggi Province (Pyeongtaek City).
Asan Bay was first recognized as internationally important for waterbirds in 1988 (Long et al. 1988). Despite a series of large-scale reclamation projects and industrialization of much of the hinterland since that time, Asan Bay remains internationally important for a large number of tidal flat obligate waterbird species, including the globally Endangered Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis and Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor, both species with high conservation profiles which have also proved attractive to ecotourists in other areas.
Maintenance of waterbird populations in Asan Bay will require formal protection of remaining tidal flats, combined with management of part of one or more reclamation impoundment area(s), to maintain foraging habitat for some species and to provide a secure high tide roost for others.
With appropriate management and investment, it should then be possible for local and national bodies to create a world class wetland reserve and visitor centre in Asan Bay, to take advantage of the Bay's internationally important biodiversity, and to increase the possibility of registration of part of Asan Bay as a World Heritage property in 2025, as now being discussed. Economic and other benefits could then be derived from an increase in ecosystem services provided by the Bay, including an increase in green tourism; through an increase in local pride and the provision of high-quality green and blue spaces for local businesses and residents; and through the possibility of rebranding for those industries willing to invest in sustainable development, including the conservation of remaining internationally important wetlands in Asan Bay.
Tidal Flat Areas
At least until the 1950's, Asan Bay was an extensive naturally semi-impounded tidal flat system, forming the southern part of the Gyeonggi Bay super-system (stretching unbroken north along the coast and around adjacent islands in present-day Gyeonggi and Incheon in the ROK to the Hwanghaenam coast of DPR Korea). Fed by several small rivers, the tidal flats of Asan Bay were contiguous with the Seokcheonri and Maehyangri tidal flats of Namyang Bay (now known as the Hwaseong Wetlands) to the north, and near-contiguous with a series of smaller bays along the north coast of what used to be known as the Seosan Peninsula.
In the mid-1980s, especially following completion of the Asan and Sapkyo reclamation barrages, the tidal flats of Asan Bay were further reduced in area and then separated into two component parts: those in the inner bay and in the outer bay. Based on information provided to them, Long et al. (1988) estimated that 7,200ha of tidal flat remained at that time. Independent measurements using Google Earth historical imagery for 1984 provides an estimate of ~7,225ha of tidal flat at low tide at that time, with more than half of this (3,860ha) in the outer bay (Area 2 in Fig. 2), and the remainder in the inner bay area (Area 1 in Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Greater Asan Bay, 1984. 1= Inner bay; 2= Outer bay. For additional context, 3= Namyang Bay (now "The Hwaseong Wetlands"); 4= Asan Barrage and Lake; and 5= Sapkyo Barrage and Lake. Courtesy of Google Earth.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, almost all of the tidal flats in outer Asan Bay in Chungcheongnam Province were lost to reclamation, including through the reclamation north of Dangjin (centred at approximately 36°59'N, 126°38'E). In the mid-1990s, a series of reclamation projects was also started in the inner bay area, coincident with the construction of the West Coast Highway bridge
Based on coarse measurements made through Google Earth (2021) by the author, Asan Bay currently contains approximately 2,640ha of natural or near natural tidal flat at low tide; three part-tidal reclamation impoundments, with intentionally porous seawalls and no permanent buildings, covering approximately 1,270ha (numbered 2 and 3 in Figure 3); and one immediately adjacent reclamation area with port facilities and about 165ha of tidal flat. All the reclamation impoundments and approximately 525ha of the open tidal flat are within Pyeongtaek; the remaining 2,145ha of tidal flat are in Asan and Dangjin.
Figure 3. Asan Bay, 2021: 1= Main tidal flat used by foraging shorebirds; 2= Recently active reclamation impoundments, used by large numbers of roosting shorebirds; and by foraging Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis and Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa; 3= Older reclamation impoundment sometimes used as a high tide roost area (especially when conditions are unsuitable in Area 2); 4 =Asan Lake; 5 = Sapkyo Lake. Question marks indicate tidal flats which might or might not still support foraging shorebirds. Image courtesy of Google Earth.
Importance to Waterbirds
Asan Bay was first identified as internationally important for waterbirds in 1988. Counts made during six visits between April 12th and May 29th found between 38,000 and 48,601 shorebirds, including between 15,000 and 22,000 Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris; almost 3,000 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica; and 16 Nordmann's Greenshank Tringa guttifer (Long et al. 1988).
Yi (2004) provides summaries of counts made by the National Institute of Environmental Research within the Ministry of Environment. Between 1988 and 1996, Asan Bay supported a mean of 65,900 shorebirds annually during northward migration (making it the most important known site for shorebirds in the ROK during that period), and 6,700 shorebirds during southward migration.
Between 1997 and 2003, the annual mean of shorebirds in Asan Bay had fallen to 45,000 during northward migration but risen to 17,600 during southward migration (suggesting some variability in survey effort between years). In 1998, Moores (1999) counted a minimum 56,662 shorebirds in Asan Bay in three one-day surveys during northward migration, including 34,000 Great Knot in late April; and a flock of 18,282 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa in mid-May, which also included a single Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica (although not documented with an image, to date this remains the only ROK record); and 5,022 shorebirds in two one-day surveys during southward migration.
In a one-day survey a decade later, on May 5th 2008, in large part because of access restrictions, our SSMP research team found only 9,570 shorebirds in Asan Bay, most within the newly-created reclamation impoundment, numbered 3 in Figure 3. The only species recorded in a concentration of 1% or more of population was Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus (Moores 2012).
The Shorebird Network Korea then conducted one-day shorebird surveys in Asan Bay during northward migration in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and during southward migration in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (raw data compiled by coordinator Lee Kyung-Gu kindly shared with Birds Korea in 2016; Korea Shorebird Network 2013, 2014, 2016). In total, the Shorebird Network Korea surveys recorded four species of shorebird in concentrations of 1% or more of a population: Mongolian Plover, Far Eastern Curlew, Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia and Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus. Oddly, even though the same Shorebird Network data were used, only two of these species were subsequently listed as meeting the 1% threshold by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (2017): Far Eastern Curlew and Common Greenshank.
A total of ten survey visits were made to the main reclamation impoundments (Areas 2 and 3 in Figure 3) between June 2020 and July 2021 by NM together either with Jung Hanchul (Gyeonggi KFEM and Birds Korea member) or Park Heajeong (Hwaseong KFEM) as part of research for the Hwaseong Wetlands Project, led by the EAAFP Secretariat and the Hwaseong Eco-Foundation ("Project Surveys"). Following formal permission from the site managers to survey, Project Surveys were conducted from roads within the main reclamation impoundments and were timed to coincide with spring high tides.
Our surveys were too brief and too infrequent to capture all of the migration through Asan Bay; and some parts of the bay were not even visited. Nonetheless, the Project Surveys were able to find higher numbers of birds than most recent survey effort, due to the improved access, higher frequency of survey effort, and greater spread of survey dates. In addition, the Project Surveys were also able to confirm the continuing international importance of Asan Bay to a large number of tidal flat obligate species considered typical of Yellow Sea tidal flats (Table 1).
If data are available, the Ramsar Convention typically requires evidence that waterbirds are supported by a site "regularly" in internationally important concentrations before considering designation of Ramsar sites. The data for Asan Bay appear to be insufficient to develop 5-year geometric means of each species to meet this requirement. However, all survey effort between 1988 and the present appears to have identified Asan Bay as fulfilling one or more Ramsar criteria.
And during the Project Surveys in Asan Bay:
We recorded an assemblage of globally threatened species each survey visit, including globally Vulnerable Korean Water Deer once; and a total of six species of globally threatened waterbird. Asan Bay therefore continues to fulfill Ramsar Criterion 2.
On May 13th 2021, we counted 24,272 waterbirds; and a minimum of 38,999 waterbirds of 51 species, based on the sum of their highest day counts, one per species, between June 2020 and May 2021. Although no single waterbird species was recorded in a concentration of 20,000 or more individuals, Asan Bay nonetheless continues to meet Criterion 5.
We recorded ten species of waterbird in internationally important concentrations of 1% or more of a population, including 10% of the mongolus / stegmanni population of Lesser Sand Plover ("Mongolian Plover"); 3% of the population of Far Eastern Curlew; and >10% of the population of Black-faced Spoonbill. Most of these species had been recorded in earlier years in Asan Bay internationally important concentrations. Asan Bay continues to fulfill Ramsar Criterion 6.
Our count data indicate that all the species of waterbird we recorded are complete migrants. While more research is needed, the number of waterbirds supported during both migration periods, a critical period during these species life-cycles, are likely to far exceed the total number of waterbirds we recorded during only ten dates with survey. Asan Bay continues to fulfill Criterion 4.
Table 1. Maximum counts of waterbird species made during the Project Surveys (2020-2021) which qualify the species as internationally important or contribute to the international importance of Asan Bay.
Global Conservation Status (IUCN 2021) 1% Threshold (Wetlands International 2021) Max. Count Project Surveys Date of highest count Meets Ramsar Criterion 2 Meets Ramsar Criterion 4 Meets Ramsar Criterion 6
Common Shelduck LC 600 2,181 29 Mar 2021 x x
Common Pochard VU 3,000 1 Jul 21 2021 x
Grey Plover LC 1,000 1,072 29 Mar 2021 x x
Mongolian Plover LC 260 2,893 5 Aug 2020 x x
Far Eastern Curlew EN 320 915 24 Jul 2020 x x x
Great Knot EN 2,900 7,000 13 May 2021 x x x
Red-necked Stint NT 3,200 4,170 5 Aug 2020 x x
Dunlin LC 10,000 11,700 29 Mar 2021 x x
Common Greenshank LC 1,000 2,340 Aug 26 2020 x x
Nordmann's Greenshank EN (5) 2 Aug 2020, May 2021 x
Black-faced Spoonbill EN (20) 479 Sep 18 2020 x x x
Saunders's Gull VU 85 145 26 Aug 2020 x x x
To the best of our knowledge, all four of these criteria are likely to be met "regularly" in Asan Bay, with many birds likely being missed in recent years because of a combination of restricted access and limited survey effort.
Waterbird Use of Asan Bay
During the Project Surveys, as the tide reached > c.7.6m, thousands of shorebirds were watched to fly across from the main tidal area (numbered 1 in Figure 3, and shown below in Figures 4 and 5), where birds were earlier seen to forage, into the three reclamation impoundments.
Figure 4. The main tidal flat in Asan Bay (numbered 1 in Figure 3) during the incoming tide, looking southwest (May 2021) © Nial Moores.
Figure 5. The main tidal flat in Asan Bay during the incoming tide, looking southeast toward the Asan Bay sluice gates (May 2021) © Nial Moores.
Figure 6. May 2021: arrival of shorebirds into the reclamation impoundments (numbered 3 in Figure 3) © Nial Moores
Conditions within each of the three main reclamation impoundments varied substantially each visit during the Project Surveys due to dredging or infilling operations connected to the reclamation process (Figure 7).
Figure 7. August 2020: piping in of additional mud into the area numbered 2 in Figure 3 © Nial Moores
Each survey, however, the reclamation impoundments provided relatively undisturbed areas of mud or sand above the highwater mark at high tide which were used by roosting shorebirds; extensive shallow lagoon-type areas utilized for foraging and roosting by species like Common Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit; and areas of open, exposed mud, which were used by up to 4,000 Red-necked Stint in both August 2020 and May 2021 for feeding during both low tide and high tide.
Of potential relevance to discussions about conservation and wise of Asan Bay: in July 2021 we were informed that – for now at least – reclamation work has stopped for an extended period in these reclamation impoundments, presumably to allow new sediment to settle.
Long, A.J., Poole, C. M., Eldridge, M. I. Won P-O & Lee K-S. 1988. A survey of coastal wetlands and shorebirds in South Korea, Spring 1988. Asian Wetland Bureau, Kuala Lumpur.
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. 2017. 연안습지 바닷새 보전․관리 연구 『도요‧물떼새 전국 동시조사』(in Korean).
Moores, N. 1999. A survey of the distribution and abundance of shorebirds in South Korea during 1998-1999: an interim summary. Stilt 34: 18-29.
Moores, N. 2012. The distribution, abundance and conservation of avian biodiversity in Yellow Sea habitats in the Republic of Korea. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Moores, N., Rogers, D. I., Rogers, K. & Hansbro, P. 2016. Reclamation of tidal flats and shorebird declines in Saemangeum and elsewhere in the Republic of Korea. Emu, 116, 2: 136-146. Published by CSIRO. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MU16006
Shorebird Network Korea. 2013. Shorebird population count report of Korea (2011–2012). Shorebird Network Korea Secretariat, Shinan County, Republic of Korea. [In Korean]
Shorebird Network Korea 2014. Shorebird population count report of Korea (2013). Shorebird Network Korea Secretariat, Shinan County, Republic of Korea. [In Korean]
Shorebird Network Korea. 2016. Shorebird population count report of Korea (2014). Shorebird Network Korea Secretariat, Shinan County, Republic of Korea. [In Korean]
Yi, J.-Y. 2004. Status and habitat characteristics of migratory shorebirds in Korea. In 'Proceedings of the 2004 International Symposium on Migratory Birds, Gunsan, Korea'. pp. 87–103. (Ornithological Society of Korea: Seoul, Republic of Korea). [In Korean]
Hwaseong Shorebird Spectacular, August 9th-15th 화성습지와 도요물떼새, 지역관리자 교육 8/9-8/13


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Upbeat Crescendo lines up industrial property launches
CRESCENDO Corp Bhd, a property developer based in Johor, plans to launch RM230 million of industrial properties over the next 18 months as improved economy and growing ties with Singapore help boost demand for its industrial properties.
The company is also optimistic on its growth prospects over the next few years.
"We believe this year will be better than last year," said managing director Gooi Seong Lim after Crescendo's annual general meeting in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, yesterday.
The company, whose net profit grew for two consecutive years previously, saw its net profit declining 43 per cent for the year ended January 31 2010.
Its industrial properties, under the Nusa Cemerlang Industrial Park (NCIP) project, were launched about two years ago. To date, it has launched 157 units of industrial properties with a gross development value of RM460 million.
"So far, the response for our properties has been overwhelming. We have sold all the industrial properties that we built," Gooi said.
The NCIP is still at the early stages of development.
"So far, less than 100 acres of the 520 acres have been developed. We are still at Phase 1 of the development. I'm not sure when the NCIP will be fully developed as it is based on demand. But our past experience tells us it will likely take about 10 years for it to be fully developed," he said.
The company is also planning to launch its Bandar Cemerlang township by the end of next year.
Gooi said the decision to launch Bandar Cemerlang, a 1,390-acre mixed-development township, was mainly driven by two factors.
One is the availability of key infrastructure such as an interchange that connects the township as well as the expansion of a highway there from two lanes to four. They are expected to be ready in the second half of 2011.
The other factor relates to the supply issue, which Crescendo expects to taper off sometimes next year.
Gooi said the company will remain focused on developing properties in Johor in the near term.
"We have a landbank of more than 3,000 acres that should keep us busy for sometime," he said.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Are there Teachers in a Montessori classroom?
Dr. Montessori referred to the teacher as a "Directress". This title differs considerably from the title and purpose of a teacher in a traditional school classroom. The Directress is not a teacher because she does not directly impart knowledge to her students. She guides, or directs the child, according to his own inner needs.
She is trained to be a keen observer, carefully monitoring and recognizing the individual interests and needs of each child and her daily work starts from her observations. The Montessori Directress is the vital link between the child and the prepared environment (the classroom).
The role of a Montessori Directress is to prepare a beautiful and enticing environment that provides a safe, calm, orderly and harmonious atmosphere which will reinforce the child's independence and natural urge toward self-development. She must carefully arrange the room with child size furnishings and must ensure that all the Montessori materials are beautifully displayed on low open shelves in an orderly fashion.
She carefully monitors the progress of each child and seeks to foster their natural development and curiosity through the child's own choices. The end result is a not just a child who is competent in knowledge and socialization – but also a child who has a greater sense of self-awareness and the confidence to be a self-learner.


UPDATE, 1:25 PM: Syfy announced it has finalized the deal for a pilot order to David Goyer's Superman prequel Krypton.
project for more than a year-and-a-half, is finalizing a deal for a pilot order. Damian Kindler (Sleepy Hollow) has come on board as executive producer/showrunner, while Peaky Blinders helmer Colm McCarthy has been set to direct the pilot for Warner Horizon TV.
Goyer and Kindler are doing rewrites on the original pilot teleplay by Goyer & Ian Goldberg which was based on a story Goyer and Goldberg had penned together.
ng done via a special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family.
Goyer, who is executive producing Krypton through his Phantom Four banner, is Warner Bros.' go-to writer for their Batman and Superman feature franchises, most recently co-penning Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. He also executive produces Sundance smash The Birth Of A Nation.
Warner Bros. TV previously launched a successful Superman prequel with the long-running WB/CW series Smallville.
Kindler is coming off a three-season tenure on Fox's Sleepy Hollow where he most recently served as executive producer. This marks his return to Syfy where he created Sanctuary and worked on Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate SG-1. He is repped by WME, New Wave, and Adam Kaller on Tom Hoberman.
Goyer is repped by WME. McCarthy, who recently wrapped production on The Girl With All The Gifts starring Glenn Close, is repped by WME, the UK's Independent and Michael Schenkman.


Bolton Wanderers made a transfer deadline day acquisition on Friday morning, securing the services of Jay Spearing on a season-long loan from Liverpool.
Before his first training session with his new team-mates, the midfielder spoke to Wanderers Player.
Subscribers can watch this interview now by clicking here.
Don't forget - full commentary of Saturday's game at the KC Stadium will be available on Wanderers Player from 2.30pm onwards.


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Penn Study: Massive Open Online Courses Not a Threat to Traditional Business Schools
Data from a University of Pennsylvania study of massive open online courses offered by Penn's Wharton School suggest that MOOCs aren't a threat to traditional business programs, but rather an opportunity to expand to underserved markets. The findings were published today in the Harvard Business Review.The study is the first of its kind to focus on MOOC participants taking business classes. The researchers were Ezekiel Emanuel, Penn's vice provost for global initiatives; Gayle Christensen, executive director of Penn Global; and Brandon Alcorn, Penn Global project manager. They surveyed more than 875,000 students enrolled in nine MOOCs offered by Wharton. They found that business MOOCs do not appear to be cannibalizing existing programs but are reaching at least three new student populations: those from outside the United States, especially those in developing countries; foreign-born Americans; and under-represented American minorities.
Seventy-eight percent of individuals who registered for the Wharton MOOCs came from outside the U.S., with about 45 percent hailing from developing countries. By comparison, 45 percent of two-year M.B.A. students and 14 percent of executive MBA students are foreign. Thirty-five percent of all U.S. individuals enrolled in the Wharton business MOOCs are foreign-born. By comparison, only 12.9 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born. Nineteen percent of Wharton's American MOOC students are under-represented minorities compared to 11 percent of students enrolled in traditional M.B.A. programs at nine of the top U.S. business schools.
The study also found that, for the majority of the Wharton MOOCs students, completing an online course is not the most important outcome. Just 43 percent of respondents to a pre-course survey indicated that receiving a certificate of accomplishment was "extremely important" or "very important." The implication, researchers suggest, is that schools should move away from a business model of charging for certificates of completion.
The full study is published on HBR.org or at http://wp.me/p3Dxgw-aci.
Slate, 6/3/14
Financial Times, 6/3/14
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6/3/14
Bloomberg Businessweek, 6/3/14
Clear Admit, 6/3/14
Inc., 6/4/14
Inside Higher Ed, 6/4/14
University Herald, 6/4/14
VentureBeat, 6/7/14
Marketplace, 6/11/14
June 3, 2014 | Press Releases


Don't let her beauty deceive you. Vocalist Maria Brink of In This Moment knows how to sing / scream and does a damn great job at it. Her vocals have a grittiness that I'm very jealous of and I'm sure other females share this with me. C'mon you've dreamed of being in a rock band at least once or twice in your life ladies.
In This Moment has been through their fair share of climbing the ladder to success. Starting a Myspace back in the good old days of 2005, In This Moment captured the attention of Century Media Records after having a cult following in LA clubs. Their success kept climbing with each album release from 2007's "Beautiful Tragedy" to 2012's "Blood". The band has played Ozzfest and Warped Tour while showing no signs of stopping. Touring with bigger bands and inspirations kept In This Moment thinking and on their toes. Learning from bands such as Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil have secured a spot in the future of metal for In This Moment.
Brink's gritty vocals mixed with her sultry ones along with skull numbing guitar riffs and melodic aesthetics make In This Moment a band to watch out for. The official music video for "Blood" even has 5 million views on YouTube. Lzzy Hale, watch out honey.


Am I responsible for all the things that he holds me responsible for?
Thread: Am I responsible for all the things that he holds me responsible for?
This is a really long thread..So apologies for the length of my woes in the beginning itself!!I met him in 2008 when I was 23 and he was 52..He was my boss at work..I'll call him M..Divorced, with two kids..a daughter (3 yrs younger to me) and a son (5 years younger to me) who were both in college.. absolutely charming, super intelligent..He asked me out for dinner within the first week of work..I said No..he persisted and i finally said yes to a dinner date after six months of him having asked me out the first time..I was absolutely floored by him..He told me it was the first time he was actually free in life as he had looked after his kids and aged mum all his life and came across as quite bitter abt his divorce and other things in life..my heart went out for him..He didnt want a committed relationship..I said if he wanted to be with me, he would have to give me a committed relationship..I told him i took my relationships very seriously and would die if he didnt commit..His family was looking at him settling down again at that point and had almost fixed him up with this hot shot doctor (around 47 yrs old)..He gave that up for me..The next 3-3.5 yrs were blissful..He helped me clear a very important competitive exam, by his constant moral support and am today in a highly respectable job( the studying part i did on my own)..He even paid for my coaching classes and mess bills at times..I got integrated into his family..It was a strange equation but it worked..His kids knew abt us and eventually i even began staying over at his place with his son being around..I got along famously with his kids..He gradually began acknowledging me in front of his family too..I was convinced about "US"..His relatives would say that they had never seen him happier..I happen to be an only daughter of a fairly middle class family from a small town..My parents were in the meanwhile pressurising me to get married and i turned down a whole lot of proposals, because of my relationship with him..
However in 2012, our relationship began undergoing stress..he was shifting between very important jobs and he asked me not to keep troubling him with relationship woes..I at that point wanted a break in our relationship but did not have the guts to tell him as i was scared of how he would react..I told him i wanted to go back home to my parents as my father would require my assistance..He said I didnt have to shift cities for that, and he would extend all possible help..i cudnt think of any other excuse to leave..in hindsight i should have left then..My parents had throughout been under the impression that M was acting like a local guardian..I didnt have the guts to tell them the truth..I thought that it was important to work out on our relationship and stuck on..
Then in April 2013, i met somebody.. i'll call him A..Our conversations started from a purely platonic basis over msgs..However something was clicking there and i was getting hopelessly attracted to this new person..Before anything serious developed though M discovered my msgs and put a complete ban on it..He had my phone tapped and had gotten my room bugged once to hear my conversations with my friends..I was extremely guilty and promised him M, I wudnt pursue it..This was in July 2013..I stopped talking to A completely..But i cudnt get him out of my mind..However at that point M's son was taking a very important exam (the same competitive exam i had taken and cleared) and decided to back off till his exams were over and not disturb M from concentrating on his son who has a physical handicap and required his dad's assistance..In the meanwhile M made a friend call up A and asked him to back off from me..I was extremely irritated by this call and scolded M for infringing on my privacy..M got angry at this and reprimanded me for taking against him for another guy..I did not speak to A thereafter..However M and I kept fighting through Aug, Sept, Oct and Dec over this..After his son's exams in Dec, I begged M to allow me to Call A once..In the meanwhile M told me that he was anyways willing to let go of me in 2014 as he knew there was a huge age gap between us and he understood my need to start a family and my parents expectations..and I should look at other options..I told him at that point that i really liked A and would really like to give it a chance..He was completely against it and said A wasnt right for me at all as his family wasnt right..Our job profiles didnt match and he didnt deserve me..He asked me to walk out if i wanted to but i was extremely scared and guilty and in debt of all that M had done for me..He extracted a promise out of me that i wudnt keep in touch with A..M even called my father up and asked him to advise me in the right direction..I tried meeting other guys but it just wasnt happening..I didnt keep in touch with A upto March 2014..But in March 2014, I got bk in touch and this time he came to meet me..I met A after a year..I had met him a year earlier for about 4 days..i met him for abt 7 days and decided A was it..i kept in touch with him through april and may 2014..In the meanwhile M's son didnt clear the exam and he blamed me for it as i put him through so much mental torture and he cudnt contribute towards his son's welfare because of me..then A came for his annual leave in mid june 2014 and we met..M got to know abt this and all hell broke loose..He threatened me with dire consequences if i pursued it..at each point i would feel guilty for doing this to him and we wud try getting bk..not in a man woman way but as two ppl who cared for each other..M said that he wanted to keep in touch with me for life and he wudnt be able to do it as it was unthinkable for him to see me settle down with somebody who didnt deserve me..He said he wud introduce me to other "proper" guys as he had a stake in my welfare as he had made me and given me respect in society vis a vis my job..M in the meanwhile sent msgs to A telling him abt how "loose" i was in character..He said he was doing it for my good and welfare and wanted to kill my relationship..He asked me to choose between A and him..I finally had the guts and told him I choose A..He has been mad ever since..He even said he wud send photographs of mine to A's family to ensure that our relationship never worked out..He said that even if things were to work out between A and I, he wud ensure that it never worked out in the long run..he wud ensure that A's career was destroyed and my reputation got spoilt as i has spoiled his son's chances at his exams and spoiled his 1.5 years..I have begged M to not spoil my relationship as my time for marriage is running out reputation is of paramount importance, but he says he's on a warpath now and he's going to ensure i'm never happy..he says that i had a number of chances to leave and not hurt him but i chose otherwise so he'll do wat he deems right now..He asks me not to equate marriage with A and go ahead with a "proper" guy or with all of the other proposals that have come about for me..But I cant get myself to like anybody else..M now accuses me of having used him, being frivolous and taking him for a ride and cheating him..he says I am responsible for changing him as a man, for taking away his chance at settling down etc etc and says he could get younger girls to date..He is currently dating somebody younger to me on a rebound and has been with a number of younger women in their 20's just to prove a point to me..I am going into depression and guilt for having put M through this and havent spent one evening without crying in the past 1.5 yrs..M says he is being magnanimous enough by letting me go but it should be with somebody proper..My parents btw are fine with A but i cant risk M harming A in any way(M is quite influential)..Am in a fix..I have a fantastic respectable job, but am miserable in my personal life..is there even a way out??
Why are you getting scared? You had a relationship with this guy- its ended- you want to move on...then do so! The more power you give him, the more he's going to try and bow you down. He's obviously made this an ego hassle.
You can ask for some intervention from some mutual friend- but if that's not forthcoming, have trust in your relationship and take the plunge. Make sure, however, that your fiance is prepared for all this.
How about leaving A and M completely and trying any other 24 letters from the alphabet? If you have a decent job profile and family background,it may not be that difficult to find a groom...I suggested finding another person because you are too scared of A because of his hold...and you fear about the consequences in case you choose A...so you got two options..
2.leave A and M n start a new life.
Why don't u just get out of M's house and start living by yourself? You are an independent woman. M has no rights on you and you are free to date any A, B or C.
First of all you alone is not responsible for this mess, he equally is.
Secondly what he is is doing to you is mental abuse. You can seek the help from women's helpline.
As for the resolving your problem you should tell your parents & "A" about the actual situation and how "M" is harassing you. It will be difficult but if you have enough guts to have a relationship with a person who is almost 30 years older than you and mingle with his family then you must also have guts to tell your folks about the mistake you have done. They will be angry for sure but anger will subside and they will help you out. Also in doing so the hold "M" have on you will also vanish because he is controlling you on these factors only. If you cannot do that then seek help from women's helpline. But again in doing so at some point your folks might have to get involved. So honesty might be the best policy here.
Pls. understand no one can force you to be with someone whom you don't want . Key to change your situation is in your hand only. Be brave and fight it out with your family & "A" being at your side.
first try to apply for another job in another company.. once you are settled and move out of his house and be independent and move on!
Last edited by umang123; 20-11-2014 at 09:06 PM.
Is M really that powerful that he can unjustly do whatever he wants to... and get away with it scot-free? Is there any way of guaranteeing that he would like the next guy (not A) you date? Plus, if he can play the welfare-card on you, then what about your parents? They clearly have more "stake" in your prosperity and welfare than he could ever have, but I don't see you marrying according to their wishes. What if they put their foot down and ask you to marry A? Who do you listen to then?
About indebtedness, in a relationship it is normal for people to do things for their partners, everyone does, and he's no exception. There's nothing to be indebted about because it was during the relationship. I am sure you have also contributed to the relationship just as much - giving away many years of your precious youth. But only sore losers talk about it afterward. Now some men use wealth, power, position and whatnot to overcompensate their below-average sexual performance or old age. And clearly there had to be other compensating factors that allowed you to look beyond his age. But how would you feel if you knew that he did all of that, just to get into your pants?
I don't know why you can't see it, but doesn't seem like M would stop taking advantage of you any time soon, esp. not if you continue be all nice-nice to him. He'll probably make unfair demands and try to exploit you even after you are married. Think about it - if you can't stop him now, what's to stop him then? The situation will only get worse with time. Although it may seem like a huge thing now but compared to what you could lose in future, taking action now is still reasonable.
At some point you'll to take an aggressive or attacking position against him, you cannot keep defending forever. From your post, you seem quite vulnerable to his threats/attacks at the moment. And since the situation could result in defamation, slander, loss of employment, or even physical harm, I would strongly advice you to be preemptive in your approach and consult a good lawyer. So far, there are indications of harassment, therefore a good lawyer will not only help you collect evidence, but also have connections in the police in case anything untoward happens. But bear in mind that harassment rules are very fluid and disputable, so you may want to enrage him to do something really stupid, and then indict him. You probably don't want him in jail, but if your partner-choice can provoke him enough to harm you then he belongs in jail.
Last edited by dAIC; 20-11-2014 at 09:36 PM.
Pls reply in some new thread so that original poster waiting for your opinion may get some answer.
Who is responsible for this???????
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text:
Neste's Interim Report for January-June 2015
Published in Releases and news
Neste Corporation
Interim Report
5 August 2015 at 9 am. (EET)
Continuing strong refining market enabled good result despite the scheduled major turnaround at the Porvoo refinery
Second quarter in brief:
Comparable operating profit totaled EUR 78 million (Q2/2014: EUR 86 million)
Negative impact of the Porvoo refinery turnaround on comparable operating profit was EUR 130 million
Total refining margin was USD 10.83/bbl (Q2/2014: USD 8.33/bbl)
Renewable Products' comparable sales margin was USD 210/ton (Q2/2014: USD 200/ton)
Net cash from operations totaled EUR 227 million (Q2/2014: EUR 219 million)
January-June in brief:
Comparable operating profit totaled EUR 293 million (1-6/2014: EUR 136 million)
Return on average capital employed (ROACE) was 12.5% over the last 12 months (2014: 10.1%)
Leverage ratio was 40.3% as of the end of June (31.12.2014: 37.9%)
Comparable earnings per share: EUR 0.80 (1-6/2014: EUR 0.30)
President & CEO Matti Lievonen:
"The second quarter was characterized by a strong refining margin environment, and the major turnaround at our Porvoo refinery. Neste recorded a comparable operating profit of EUR 78 million during the second quarter, compared to the EUR 86 million during the corresponding period last year. As announced on 16 June, the turnaround had a negative impact of approximately EUR 130 million on comparable operating profit.
Oil Products generated a comparable operating profit of EUR 14 million (EUR 33 million) during the second quarter. Neste's reference margin averaged USD 8.7/bbl, which was more than double that in the same period last year. Gasoline margins continued particularly high, supported by global demand growth and the summer driving season. The maintenance turnaround implemented during the second quarter was the largest in the history of the Porvoo refinery. It has now been successfully completed and will help ensure the refinery's performance and safety for the next five years.
Renewable Products recorded a comparable operating profit of EUR 54 million (EUR 32 million) during the second quarter. Renewable Products' additional margin and a stronger US dollar had a positive effect on the result compared to the same period last year. Feedstock optimization continued, and the share of waste and residue feedstocks reached 67% of total inputs. The Porvoo turnaround reduced renewable diesel production by more than 10% of total production capacity during the second quarter.
Oil Retail's markets continued competitive, but we were able to increase profits by higher sales volumes particularly in the Baltic markets, and improving margins. The segment generated a comparable operating profit of EUR 22 million, higher than the EUR 20 million booked in the second quarter of 2014.
Global oil demand growth estimates for 2015 have been generally upgraded to 1.3-1.5 million bbl/day, and the forward refining margin outlook for the coming quarters is stronger than that seen in April. Current crude oil price level promotes oil product demand, and there seems to be limited upside potential in oil price.
Our result guidance remains unchanged: Neste estimates the Group's full-year 2015 comparable operating profit to remain robust and to be higher than that reached in 2014."
The Group's second-quarter 2015 results
Neste's revenue in the second quarter totaled EUR 2,605 million (EUR 4,104 million). The decrease mainly resulted from lower sales volumes due to the Porvoo refinery turnaround, which had an impact of EUR 1.1 billion, and lower sales prices caused by the oil price decline, which had a negative impact of EUR 0.7 billion. The change in USD/EUR exchange rate had a positive impact of EUR 0.3 billion on the revenue year-on-year. The Group's comparable operating profit came in at EUR 78 million (EUR 86 million). Oil Products' result was negatively impacted by the planned major turnaround at the Porvoo refinery, but positively impacted by reference refining margins, which were higher than in the second quarter of 2014. Renewable Products' result improved mainly due to higher additional margin and a favorable USD/EUR exchange rate. Oil Retail's result was positively impacted by higher sales volumes and margins year-on-year. The Others segment recorded a lower comparable operating profit compared to the second quarter of 2014.
Oil Products' second-quarter comparable operating profit was EUR 14 million (33 million), Renewable Products' EUR 54 million (32 million), and Oil Retail's EUR 22 million (20 million). The comparable operating profit of the Others segment totaled EUR -14 million (2 million).
The Group's IFRS operating profit was EUR 63 million (70 million), which was impacted by inventory gains totaling EUR 78 million (2 million), changes in the fair value of open oil derivatives totaling EUR -91 million (-18 million), mainly related to hedging of inventories, and non-recurring items totaling EUR -3 million (0 million). Pre-tax profit was EUR 52 million (48 million), profit for the period EUR 42 million (39 million), and earnings per share EUR 0.17 (0.15). The Group's effective tax rate was 20% (18%).
The Group's January-June 2015 results
Neste's revenue during the first six months totaled EUR 5,348 million (EUR 7,613 million). The decrease mainly resulted from lower overall sales prices caused by the oil price decline, which had an impact of EUR 1.9 billion, and lower sales volumes due to the Porvoo refinery maintenance during the second quarter, which had a negative impact of EUR 1.1 billion. The change in USD/EUR exchange rate had a positive impact of EUR 0.7 billion on the revenue year-on-year. The Group's comparable operating profit came in at EUR 293 million (EUR 136 million). Oil Products' result was positively impacted by reference refining margins, which were clearly higher than during the first half of 2014. However, the scheduled major turnaround at the Porvoo refinery negatively impacted the segment's result during the second quarter. Renewable Products improved as a result of successful margin management, feedstock optimization and a favorable USD/EUR exchange rate. Oil Retail's result was positively impacted by increased sales volumes and margins. The Others segment recorded a lower comparable operating profit compared to the first half of 2014.
Oil Products' six-month comparable operating profit was EUR 170 million (65 million), Renewable Products' EUR 96 million (44 million), and Oil Retail's EUR 39 million (34 million). The comparable operating profit of the Others segment totaled EUR -11 million (-9 million).
The Group's IFRS operating profit was EUR 296 million (120 million), which was impacted by inventory gains totaling EUR 2 million (losses of 1 million), changes in the fair value of open oil derivatives totaling EUR -73 million (-13 million), mainly related to hedging of inventories, and non-recurring items totaling EUR 74 million (-2 million), mainly related to the capital gain from the disposal of the Porvoo electricity grid. Pre-tax profit was EUR 257 million (81 million), profit for the period EUR 223 million (66 million), and earnings per share EUR 0.87 (0.25). The Group's effective tax rate was 13% (20%) mainly due to the tax-exempt items, such as the sale proceeds of the shares of Kilpilahden Sähkönsiirto Oy, electricity grid company.
Developments in the global economy have been reflected in the oil, renewable fuel, and renewable feedstock markets; and volatility in these markets is expected to continue.
Global oil demand growth estimates for 2015 have been increased and are generally at 1.3-1.5 million bbl/d, as especially gasoline demand growth has been healthy. The forward reference refining margin outlook for the coming quarters is stronger than that seen in April. While the refining capacity growth in Asia and the Middle East and ending of the refinery maintenance season are expected to increase product supply, the transatlantic supply demand balance is also dependent on demand growth and possible refinery shutdowns. Lifting of the economic sanctions against Iran could increase the supply of medium heavy crude oil in the European market in the future.
Vegetable oil price differentials are expected to vary, depending on crop outlooks, weather phenomena, and variations in demand for different feedstocks, but no fundamental changes in the drivers influencing long-term average feedstock price differentials are expected. Feedstock prices have been on a downward trend, but vegetable oil price differentials have remained narrower than the historical average. Market volatility in feedstock and oil prices is expected to continue, which will have an impact on the Renewable Products segment's profitability.
Crude oil price changes, supply and demand balances, together with uncertainties related to political decision-making on biofuel mandates, the US Blender's Tax Credit (BTC) and other incentives will be reflected in the oil and renewable fuel markets. Reintroduction of the BTC would have a positive impact on Neste's comparable operating profit, and it is not included in the company's current result guidance.
Neste's guidance remains unchanged: Neste estimates the Group's full-year 2015 comparable operating profit to remain robust and to be higher than that reached in 2014.
Matti Lievonen, President & CEO, tel. +358 10 458 11
Jyrki Mäki-Kala, CFO, tel. +358 10 458 4098
Investor Relations, tel. +358 10 458 5292
News conference and conference call
A press conference in Finnish on second-quarter 2015 results will be held today, 5 August 2015, at 11:30 a.m. EET at the company's headquarters at Keilaranta 21, Espoo. www.neste.com will feature English versions of the presentation materials. A conference call in English for investors and analysts will be held on 5 August 2015 at 3 p.m. Finland / 1 p.m. London / 8 a.m. New York. The call-in numbers are as follows: Finland: +358 (0)9 6937 9543, rest of Europe: +44 (0)20 3427 1906, US: +1646 254 3362, using access code 6785568. The conference call can be followed at the company's web site. An instant replay of the call will be available until 12 August 2015 at +358(0)9 2310 1650 for Finland, +44(0)20 3427 0598 for Europe and +1 347 366 9565 for the US, using access code 6785568.
Neste in brief
Neste is a pioneer in oil refining and renewable solutions. We provide our customers with premium-quality products for cleaner traffic and industrial products based on world-class research. Our sustainable operations have received recognition in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Global 100 list of the world's most sustainable companies, among others. Our net sales for 2014 amounted to approximately EUR 15 billion, and our shares are listed on NASDAQ Helsinki. Cleaner traffic, energy and life are moved forward by about 5,000 professionals. More information: neste.com/en
Neste interim report Q2 2015
How to decarbonize shipping? Industry leaders answer on the Outrage + Optimism podcast
Neste acquires minority stake in Alterra Energy; companies partnering to commercialize Alterra's waste plastic liquefaction technology in Europe


Privoro is building tech to safeguard your "environmental data"
Private data protection is an escalating concern for both consumers and the enterprise. One company is focused on developing an innovative solution.
During my time at CES 2016, televisions and drones battled for my attention. But I promised myself not to be drawn to the light of the beautiful 4K displays and the whirling copters on the show floor. I wanted to find a product I felt would make a difference in consumers' lives this year. I may have found that product when I visited Privoro.
Privoro is a new technology company that takes pride in standing "on the right side of privacy. [Yours.]" The threat of your private data being compromised is real. We read about attacks on a company's private networks and data quite regularly. What we don't hear is the consideration of environmental data on the enterprise or personal level. This is where Privoro steps in with privacy guard cases.
What exactly is environmental data? Allow me to share a few simple examples: your conversation with a colleague about your favorite sports team, the negotiations you have in a board room with a potential client, your routine stop at the local coffee house each morning. All of this is data that can be harvested by anyone who wants it. The "anyone" could be tech giants, such as Google and Amazon, or even your mobile phone provider. Your environmental data is valuable because of the signals that marketers or businesses can gather from it.
Hmm. Mr. Pruitt really loves having tacos on Tuesdays. Let's see if we can push a few taco stand ads to his mobile phone the next time he uses the web.
That type of scenario is familiar enough, as we see it every day in our email and social media ads that are targeted to us based upon previous history and preferences stored in a database. But what about the hypothetical scenario of applying for life insurance?
Mr. Pruitt ate at Taco Shack on South Street each Tuesday for lunch for the last three months. That processed food can't be healthy and could easily increase his LDL cholesterol score. It's in our best interest as a life insurance company to increase his premiums.
Like it or not, your environmental data is harvested regularly. However, you can implement best practices to help protect your data—which includes what you converse about, where you do it, and with whom. Just keep in mind that if it's on the internet, it's being tracked. Period.
Where does Privoro come in?
I had the pleasure of speaking with Privoro CEO Mike Fong during a private interview at CES. He explained that Privoro is focused on protecting your environmental data with a newly launched case that can be applied to your smartphone, desktop computer, or laptop. In particular, "Smartphones are ground zero" when it comes to privacy, he said.
The Privoro privacy guard case for the iPhone 6 and 6s has the tech to block RF, jam all the phone's microphones, and even block the cellular transmission to disallow location tracking. Privoro also offers a similar device that attaches to iMacs, which covers the camera and jams the microphones. The sad truth is, these microphones and cameras are always accessible by hackers—even when you're not using them.
Privoro's technology disrupts hacker attempts to gain access to your environmental data. The cost is $499 for the iMac and $999 for the iPhone 6/6s.
Privoro is currently developing for Samsung smartphones, as well as Dell and Lenovo computers. Pre-orders are available for a Spring 2016 release. Enterprise companies with traveling employees are the target audience for the device at this time. These individuals travel with sensitive data regularly and/or are in meetings regularly about sensitive data.
I thoroughly enjoyed my hour-long chat with Mr. Fong. And it was eye opening to learn about how our environmental data is so readily available—and ready to be exploited by hackers. The following video offers a shortened version of our discussion on camera.
Is your organization worried about hackers exploiting environmental data? Are you? Share your opinions with fellow TechRepublic members.


Business | I ... reach!!
Career – center piece of life!
G can only be for Google in #AtoZ challenge. Considering how much knowledge i have gained from it and how much easier it is now to gain knowledge about anything in the world with just a simple question, Google tops the list of my life influences starting their names with letter G.
Considering Google as a company was established in September 4 1998, Google is still a teenager!!! The amount of disruption in brought into the lives of millions of people is amazing. From starting as a simple web crawler company, to the diversified company it is today, the journey is amazing. For the sake of this post, when i checked the Google range of products, i was totally flabbergasted. I hardly have been using only few of them and i think my life influences is Google. Will i be able to comprehend the breadth of Google in my lifetime?
In my order of preference, Google search, Google mail, Google maps and Picasa stands the top….obviously my horizon is yet to expand to include and experience all of Google!!! Google – SALUTE you!!!
Women forums in IT industry – hype or real?
Over the years in IT industry, I hardly saw any situation where women can operate differently because they are women. When we assess someone's capabilities to fit into IT industry, we look for standard traits – Zero-defect project deliveries, vast domain knowledge, excellent communication and team management skills, client-facing capabilities …….. all these are gender-inclusive expectations in our industry.
Research has also proven that women have a higher EQ (Emotional Quotient), which in today's corporate world is rated higher than IQ – this actually gives women an edge over men in problem solving. The recent trend analysis also concludes that corporates which have women as part of senior management have done much better than those who do not.
Ideally, with the above two facts, the women workforce in IT industry should be at a minimum of 50%. In reality, statistics show that women workforce ranges between 25% to 30% and less than 15% of senior management in most global IT companies.
The reason for lesser percentage of women is mostly attributed to women's extended role in family and childcare – this is true globally. Surveys have concluded that in households where men and women work, women still do twice as much housework and thrice as much childcare.
So, what can women do to with the support from these forums??
KNOW YOURSELF – "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" – James Allen. With understanding themselves, comes the wisdom – with wisdom comes the personal power.
BE AWARE AND EMBRACE CHANGE – Continuously challenge their limits – every archiver (Gender inclusive!) has done this!
We need a whole lot of committed change agents who can make this change……and be part of the change!! Till then, the debate on the need for women's forum will continue…and probably the cheeky lot will continue to check about the need for men's forum!!
The place of choice was Ramagiri(Ramadeverabetta) in Ramanagaram, around 5o km and the plan was a day long session of trekking, rappelling and zip line. Ramanagaram is famous from the film industry perspective also – Hindi movie "Sholay" and English movie "A passage to India" was filmed in this location. We were guided by Adventureworx, a professional company specializing on outdoor adventures.
The rocks are visible from the Bangalore–Mysore road on the right side (when you drive from Bangalore), beyond Ramanagaram town. We had a leisurely breakfast and chose the tough route (interesting route as per the guide!). It was a tough climb, though we made it in couple of hours. We reached the top and then came around to the Ram temple. The water from the small water body near the temple was so fresh and refreshingly cool. From the temple, we took the steps downs. As always, the trek was refreshing, stretching the muscles and made my day. It was very unique experience to have a dog from the village following us and making sure that the last person of the group has crossed the tough stretch of the climb. The guide said that the dog always ensures that the climbers are escorted – it was some sort of a spiritual experience to look at the dog's eyes and see that determination to accompany the trekkers. With beautiful sights on the way (it was very unique to see the tree growing on the rock top), it was a well spent morning.
Post lunch, we tried zip line and rappelling. It was first time experience. While zip line was more of a fun, rappelling was a test of one's mental strength, confidence and focus. The trick was -breaking away from the mental fear and taking the first step in rappelling – believe that you are completely protected (ofcourse, the critical thing for any rock climbing is the high quality safety gears – these were provided by adventureworx to us, I saw all of them were imported gears, mostly from Italy).
It was well spent day and it was worth the decision to go!!
Ramanagaram is recognized as an international rock climbing site and we spotted many foreigners trying their rock climbing skills here. Grades here are between 5.8-5.11 American is what I learnt later (you can read about rock climbing grades here).
Whenever I try to track the train track between Bangalore and Chennai in Google Maps, the option does not come up………Rome2Rio gives the train route also!!!
This site is established by a technology startup based out of Melbourne, Australia. The current version searches worldwide flight schedules, European, North American, Indian and Chinese trains, North American inter-city buses, driving and ferry routes. The public beta version was launched in April 2011.
Capacity Leakage?? – Youth in India!
It was one such meeting yesterday – he is in his early thirties and has been in IT industry for twelve years now and is moving out to purse his management education in IIM C – relocating with his wife and two little kids to a new city, leaving the plum IT job he had!! Knowing his background, I was so happy for him….Happy that he is making the right decision and moving towards his goal in life!!
He left me with a thought – if it is possible for him….why not for all? – what is that I can do to influence my circle to ensure that they are aware of their capacity? Lot to think and implement!! …….
Vasan Eye Care – Leadership and Management!
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out – Covey.
So, when we went to the Vasan Eye Care center in Vadapalani, Chennai – I was not expecting to see Covey in action!! Starting from the security, receptionist, ward nurse and doctors – all I saw was the focus – CARE team in action….they have analyzed the psyche of patients, the psyche of attendants and established the processes…….!!
The experience was very unique for me – while I have seen the multinational hospitals, system and process – what was unique here was the human touch to everything – while the scale of operations is much smaller compared to a huge hospital, the focus to ensure the implementation of their USP – "WE CARE" was amazing!!
Later I learnt about Dr.A.M.Arun and read through their vision, mission and values….nothing so unique for the story of a successful entrepreneur. What was unique was the business model which they implemented across this chain of hospitals.
Value proposition – establishing the CARE TEAM, which also doubles up as their USP. I feel there are probably excess staff – but may be very specifically trained to do specific jobs – in an average eye clinic, I have mostly see ophthalmologist handling the sensitive testing instruments, but in Vasan I saw trained technicians doing that work – while it is a guess, I think Vasan gets to have more staff on their roles at probably low-cost as they are only trained on specific functions.
Market Segment – Vasan seems to target the upper middle class market segment – who are affluent enough to spend money, but want to ensure that there are no frills – spend enough for the necessity!! Look at the location of the hospital chains they have picked….their ambience is something which is not of a five-star status, but of a decent well-kept hospital.
Position in Value Network – Vasan probably is feeding the need for a neighbourhood eye clinic and hospital – replacing the individual eye clinics and the super-speciality huge eye hospitals. In the value chain, they are probably all over – adding value as a one time eye clinic visit, to the high-end of cosmetic eye treatments!!
Revenue generation and margins – proof is in the pudding!! they are planning their IPO!
Management lessons in Maaribetta Trek!!
As part of our team's 2011 annual goal setting/team bonding sessions in Bangalore, we had a trekking session in Maaribetta day before yesterday (Saturday). It was a team of 22 who came from all over India for the two-day sessions!
Maaribetta or Banathamaaribetta is a little known adventure destination, near Bangalore. We took the help of Woody Adventure Inc, an adventure event management company (Thank you, Raj! You referred the right organizers) in Bangalore. The hill is located 55 km from Bangalore near Kanakapura and 6 km on the Ramnagar road. The trek through the rocky slopes, thorny bushes made the trip very challenging and interesting. This place is also an ideal destination for photography – actually couple of eligible bachelors ensured that they captured their pictures in Maaribetta background for their matrimonial picture portfolio 🙂 🙂 !!!
The group was a mix of male/female and young/old. While couple in this group had experienced trekking earlier, for most of the participants, this was the first time trekking experience. Mr.Muniraj was our guide from Woody Adventure, and was ably supported by Sangeeth, a 3rd year electrical engineering student from BMS engineering college, Bangalore (he said, it was his part-time job!!). Through the entire trip, Mr. Muniraj was giving us lot of instructions and I found that there were many management lessons in them to remember and implement – read them below!
We reached the foothills of Marribetta at around 9.45 am (I have to commend the skills of the driver who drove through those muddy village narrow roads). Mr. Muniraj requested us to form a small circle and addressed us – " We have two options for this trek. One – easy but takes longer time and the second one is moderately difficult but takes less time. I will suggest the second one. We have taken even 5th grade school children on this and they made it easily. Let me know your choice". There was hustle and bustle with the team, when three of us opted for the second moderately difficult option, there was a sudden wave and everyone (even the ones who was skeptical about the whole concept of trek) opted for it.
Lesson 1 – Give the options to the team. Set expectations – state the real scenario.
Lesson 2 – When the leaders make the decision and set an example, it becomes easier for the team to follow.
Lesson 3: If your goal is on something high, keep your requirements minimal. Less baggage, more comfort.
We started walking and it was indeed a memorable one. Mr.Muniraj was so knowledgable and kept the team motivated through the trek with his instructions. While we did not spot any wild animals, he did show us the droppings/footprints of elephant, bear, panther, rabbits, porcupine, antlions. He also showed us the trees which are dangerous (itchy trees) and the antiseptic plants. He insisted that nature is beyond us and if we understand it, we will become very humble.
Lesson 4 – Understand the big picture. You will know who you are.
At one point, I was almost stuck – perching on a steep rock, not sure of my next step. The guide saw me and said – "Feel the rock and focus on your steps". It just hit me…….how true…..all I need to do is to focus on my next step and not on anything else.
Lesson 9 – Focus on your next steps.
We had a wonderful time and came back as a satisfied team with more learnings to operate as a team!!
ps- This post is my entry for the 'Cleartrip My Purpose' contest in Indiblogger. If you enjoyed this post, you can vote for this in Indiblogger.
Next Gen India! Thumbs Up!!
I continue to go through my own share of doubts – what is next Gen India going to do? As part of parenting a teenager, there are times where I continue to compare my teenage days with the current teenagers – current Gen X has a lot of options and they have more access to anything they want – INTERNET is a big power……! I sometimes have detested their 'know-all' attitude, but I also acknowledge that they know more than what I knew at their age – but, still there are doubts on how they are going to fair in life!
When I listened to the two presentations by startup entrepreneurs, I was pretty convinced to give a Thumps up to Next Gen India!!
2. INTERVIEW STREET – while I was pleasantly surprised with Deepak, it became a double 'damaka' with Vivek .
Yeah, it may sound crazy…but it feels like Oscar! I am referring to the long service award which I got from my employer – 10 years in the same organization is indeed a milestone.
Yes, what is striking is that all these long service awardees have put in the best of their career years into this organization – this is amazing!! I am sure if any of the long service awardees get their biographies done, this period in our life time will definitely be a focused coverage!. All have been together, learnt many things, grown, been loyal, dedicated, etc……..
Professionally and personally I have matured a lot in these last 10 years and my organization has a very big role to play in my growth – when i say organization, it goes without saying it is the people who make the organization.
To close, i quote these lines from ttrangarajan -" Happiness is in small things! Success is in big things" and these 10 long years in this organization gave the opportunities for small things and big things!!
God bless! 🙂 🙂 Makes me feel wonderful about this milestone!
Fun@Work – Everlasting four liners!!
It was 12.40 am…. i get a feeling that all the teams at work are lost in galaxy!!…….probably this feeling is the after effect of two consecutive 13-14 hour grueling work days and my hurting throat infection…handling tiring telecons, (mis)communications, egos!!…….
and then suddenly i am gushing to list these four liners….. honestly, at the end of this listing exercise, I felt more positive about work….i could see the fun part of it……..all functions indeed knew what needs to improve(in other functions) for them to perform !!! Probably we are on the right track!!


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Home › Testimonials › Ian Bingeman and Youth Ottawa are Guided by Data
A Testimonials article, posted on February 12, 2020 . Updated on February 12, 2020
Every day, leaders of the nearly 1800 charities in the city make tough decisions about their funding, programs, and clients. These decisions are made based on a variety of information. But is that information easy to find? Is it evidence-based and does it provide local context?
Ian Bingeman, Executive Director of Youth Ottawa, is one of those leaders who balances good decisions with the best available information and he often uses Ottawa Insights to guide him.
Youth Ottawa works to empower local youth by giving them opportunities and resources to build skills and be active citizens. Programs are offered in entrepreneurship, civic engagement, artistic mentorship, and social enterprise to help youth thrive as well as tackle the issues of our time.
Making the case with Ottawa Insights
For Ian, providing programming at Youth Ottawa goes hand in hand with trying to build partnerships, funding and community support for their work. When making a case for support, Ian explains that their expertise is not in researching and generating data on the broad trends.
"What we do is operationalize a concept, evaluate and then generate the data that can tie back into the broader picture," he says. "What Ottawa Insights allows us to do is refer to ongoing data without having to do the work ourselves. That's often the piece we're missing when we ask for funding or partner support."
When A Day of Information for a Lifetime of Action (DILA), their civic engagement program began six years ago, Ian was alone. Scaling the program meant making the case to potential funders without the time or resources to create a comprehensive report. Ian tapped Ottawa Insights and used the data and context there to make his case.
"I used Ottawa Insights because I was able to get information very quickly for a proposal we were submitting to the Treasury Board Secretariat," recalls Ian. "It was about promoting access to open government tools in schools—a perfect fit for our civic engagement program."
Data-led Decisions
Ian uses data to tell Youth Ottawa's story of the challenges that they face and the impact of their work.
"We also use it to adjust our activities," he explains. "For example, we've steered the ship away from volunteerism for youth and towards paid employment opportunities and programs."
Youth Ottawa made this course correction in part to address the high rate of youth unemployment and the proportion of youth who were facing barriers to employment. Another factor was the demographics of volunteerism among youth in schools.
"60-70 % of our volunteers were white, middle-class and from the suburbs," says Ian. "It didn't match what we were seeing in the schools. For us, creating economic opportunities was more important than expanding volunteer opportunities."
Through its data, Ottawa Insights helped Ian bring this story to funders and supporters by demonstrating the importance of meaningful economic opportunity in the overall empowerment and wellbeing of youth.
"The data is used to tell stories of strength-based employment interventions. You're taking that positive impact in the community and building in the employment opportunities around it. It's a useful way of approaching it."
And when Youth Ottawa started looking at shifting its strategy towards social enterprise, one thing that helped them make that decision was Ottawa Insights data that showed declining charitable donations despite a growing demand for support.
"Instead of wasting a lot of time, effort and energy developing a donor database, we started focusing on building a social enterprise first. That strategy has paid huge dividends for us."
A one-stop shop for data
Statistics Canada, the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health are some of the most common sources of data that make up the more than 100 indicators on Ottawa Insights.
For Ian, that makes Ottawa Insights an ideal jumping off point to build a case and access general information. It's easy to navigate and provides the needed context. He also believes leaders of other charities—including board directors—would benefit from using Ottawa Insights to build, develop, and evaluate the narrative of their goals and accomplishments.
"Ottawa Insights is helping us show the value we're bringing and the social impact that we're making beyond the narrow scope of our charitable objectives."
Find out more about the work that Youth Ottawa is doing in our community.


Delighted with the quality of padding, to protect my Singer8500Q, happy to know I can transfer this large machine safely with the additional pockets as well to fill.
Communication was 100% and I was informed at each stage of delivery details.
Value for money when you consider the cost of your machine and accessories, are able to be protected at all times.
Large Padded Sewing Machine Trolley Bag review.


We always welcome new patients to our practice. If it's been a while since visiting a dentist, please feel confident that you will always be treated with care and respect. Our team is made up of the most compassionate and understanding individuals. We will care for you as we would our own families. Whether it has been 6 months or 6 years since your last appointment, we will help you get on track and achieve a smile that you can display confidently. Considering a new dentist? We are here for you.
At Gentle Dental Smile, our goal is to maximize your long-term oral and overall health, as well as improve your quality of life. We deliver top quality care in a comfortable, convenient and friendly setting. During your appointment, we encourage you to take part in your oral health by asking questions and voicing any of your concerns. We promise to listen carefully and create a plan that is best for you. We'll address any areas of discomfort or concern and provide options for your dental care. Establishing a personal and trustworthy relationship with you allows us to provide the highest quality of care.
Dr. Ami Shah is committed to continuing education and learning, and remain to stay abreast the latest in dental solutions and techniques. It is our mission to provide only the highest level of care to our patients. To ensure the quality of our dentistry; we utilize the best materials, the most trusted labs and employ the most skilled team members. You will find that like our service, our dentistry is dependable.


text:
Christie Tate
Christie Tate is the author of the New York Times bestseller Group, which was a Reese's Book Club selection. She has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and elsewhere, and she lives in Chicago with her family.
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life
By Christie Tate
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The refreshingly original and "startlingly hopeful" (Lisa Taddeo) debut memoir of an over-achieving young lawyer who reluctantly agrees to group therapy and gets psychologically an...[SEE MORE]
B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found


text:
Q: How to display items in a row of 4 across using Django, HTML, and Python This is my code. I want the items to be displayed horizontally. I've tried changing the col-md-3 and still no luck.
    <title>Document</title>

            {% for product in product_objects %}

                            {{ product.title }}

                        {{ product.price }}

            {% endfor %}

A: Not sure why it's showing it correctly, but I changed:

to:

Now it's displaying correctly.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Google faces pressure to reduce ad rates
Google's problems continue to mount as advertisers are now seeking discounts on premium ad inventory, citing Google's failure to account for ads appearing next to offensive content featuring hate speech and terrorism, according to the International Business Times (IBT).
A report in the Financial Times said the agency Group M has been in ongoing contact with Google to discuss "a range of actions" that might allay brand safety concerns, per the IBT. Rob Norman, chief digital officer at Group M, told the Financial Times that reduced ad rates are part of the conversation, adding that media premiums go up with enhanced targeting capabilities and that "advertisers will negotiate a reduction in those premiums in order to restrict themselves to much safer channels."
While a lack of brand safety has been a standing issue for marketers, Google first found itself as the poster child for the controversy two weeks ago when Havas Worldwide halted its U.K. ad spend on the platform, following the lead of the U.K. government, along with several major media groups and brands. A number of marketers stateside, including AT&T, Verizon, Johnson & Johnson and, more recently, Wal-Mart, PepsiCo and GM, have also frozen their ad spend for the time being.
It's perhaps unsurprising that marketers are jumping at the opportunity to get more leverage on Google now that the company is in an unusually vulnerable position. Marketers have long voiced frustrations with Google's dominance in digital advertising — it's the largest digital ad platform in the world, and only has one real competitor in Facebook — but haven't had the traction or influence to make demands of a giant that looms so large over the space.
Now that the brand safety controversy has picked up significant momentum and media buzz, not just abroad, but with a number of big-name U.S. brands, fixing Google's system doubles as a business opportunity to potentially access premium ad inventory at lower rates than Google has charged in the past.
For its part, Google has said it is working on a tech solution that can address unsafe material hosted on properties like YouTube, although Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, suggested there was no way for Google to comprehensively guarantee ads will never appear next to offensive content.
It will be interesting to see how much this situation turns into a waiting game. While advertisers pulling their spend from Google hurts the company's bottom line in the near-term, on top of generating a lot of bad PR, many marketers might not be able to afford to stay away for too long given how much control Google has over advertising areas like search, display and video.
Advertisers demand discounts from Google after row over extremist content on YouTube Internaional Business Times
GM, Wal-Mart and PepsiCo add to Google's woes By David Kirkpatrick • March 27, 2017
Permission granted by Subway
Subway's CMO on why the brand's transformation is just beginning
Carrie Walsh details how the brand experimented with new channels and collaborated with agency partners on a campaign featuring top athletes.
By Chris Kelly • Aug. 11, 2021
Courtesy of Blue Moon LightSky
Why Molson Coors is betting on special occasions as drinking habits evolve
After cutting 11 brands from its economy portfolio, the beverage giant is focusing its marketing on relevant moments to drive its more premium products.
By Asa Hiken • Aug. 4, 2021


To end our second day in Morocco, we put up for the night in the city of Fes. Although the pictures below were taken the morning after, we actually arrived very late in the evening. Another awesome hotel and the benefit of taking package tour. You get good hotels, meals ready irrespective of what time you arrive and your luggage whisked to your room. This happens at ALL hotels we stayed in Morocco. They are damn organised and super efficient.
Tomorrow we will be exploring the city of Fes and will do a walking tour of the Medina.
Big, comfortable beds in our spacious room.
LED Tv & Wi-fi in the hotel is a norm in Morocco even in 2012.
Our ground floor room overlooking the swimming pool.
View of the swimming pool from our veranda. No one in the pool in November .. the water is cold.
An orange tree by the pool.
Lamp and mirror along the hallway.
This entry was posted in Fes, Morocco, Royal Mirage Fes Hotel and tagged Royal Mirage Fes, Royal Mirage Fes Hotel on 08/12/2015 by admin.


Academy RFC welcomed Enniskillen 1st XV to Roughfort for the Qualifying League 2 fixture. A pre-match Lunch was held at the Clubrooms at Roughfort. The lunch was jointly sponsored by Iain Warke – Gardiner Brothers Limited and Stephen Warke – Pension & Financial Consultants Ltd.


On Friday, April 5, the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors held a special meeting.
During this special meeting, Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible recommended a tuition freeze for the incoming freshmen class of 2019 as well as all returning students for the 2019-2020 academic year.
The Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors then voted to take final action on the proposal.
The tuition freeze was unanimously passed.
The approval of this proposal means tuition for all incoming and continuing CNU students will remain frozen at the 2018-2019 academic year price, although the comprehensive fee may still go up as previously planned.
Trible's recommendation was sparked in part by the General Assembly's adoption and the support of Gov. Ralph Northam of a state budget that includes more funding for CNU and other universities of higher education.
The tuition freeze extends to both in-state and out-of-state students.
"Today we have a much better, happier message to give to our students, and its due to the generous support of the General Assembly and the Governor," University Rector Robert Hatten said.
The Captains Commitment was adopted earlier this school year during a BOV meeting on Nov. 16, which took place before the General Assembly created the newly adopted state budget.
The Captains Commitment is a pledge that provides families certainty about tuition and comprehensive fees throughout all four years a student is on campus.
"Last November the Board adopted The Captains Commitment before the General Assembly took action on the state budget," Hatten said.
The mentality behind its adoption was the commitment would allow students and their families to create strategies to finance their college education without worrying about tuition costs rising.
One of the reasons the Board of Visitors held a special meeting in order to pass or reject the tuition freeze was so incoming freshmen deciding where they will attend school in the fall will know precisely how much it will cost to attend CNU for all four years.
Since the increase in state support only covers a year, the freeze can only continue for one year.
"I hope it will encourage the General Assembly to continue to provide funding sufficient to us to curtail tuition increases," President Paul Trible said.
The Captains Commitment and new tuition freeze for the next academic year will save incoming freshmen and their families over $1,300.


text:
Q: Why is the dereference operator (*) also used to declare a pointer? I'm not sure if this is a proper programming question, but it's something that has always bothered me, and I wonder if I'm the only one.
When initially learning C++, I understood the concept of references, but pointers had me confused. Why, you ask? Because of how you declare a pointer.
Consider the following:
void foo(int* bar)
{
}

int main()
{
    int x = 5;
    int* y = NULL;

    y = &x;
    *y = 15;
    foo(y);

}

The function foo(int*) takes an int pointer as parameter. Since I've declared y as int pointer, I can pass y to foo, but when first learning C++ I associated the * symbol with dereferencing, as such I figured a dereferenced int needed to be passed. I would try to pass *y into foo, which obviously doesn't work.
Wouldn't it have been easier to have a separate operator for declaring a pointer? (or for dereferencing). For example:
void test(int@ x)
{
}

A: Because the committee, and those that developed C++ in the decades before its standardisation, decided that * should retain its original three meanings:

*

*A pointer type

*The dereference operator

*Multiplication

You're right to suggest that the multiple meanings of * (and, similarly, &) are confusing. I've been of the opinion for some years that it they are a significant barrier to understanding for language newcomers.

Why not choose another symbol for C++?
Backwards-compatibility is the root cause... best to re-use existing symbols in a new context than to break C programs by translating previously-not-operators into new meanings.

Why not choose another symbol for C?
It's impossible to know for sure, but there are several arguments that can be — and have been — made. Foremost is the idea that:

when [an] identifier appears in an expression of the same form as the declarator, it yields an object of the specified type. {K&R, p216}

This is also why C programmers tend to[citation needed] prefer aligning their asterisks to the right rather than to the left, i.e.:
int *ptr1; // roughly C-style
int* ptr2; // roughly C++-style

though both varieties are found in programs of both languages, varyingly.

A: In The Development of the C Language, Dennis Ritchie explains his reasoning thusly:

The second innovation that most clearly distinguishes C from its
  predecessors is this fuller type structure and especially its
  expression in the syntax of declarations... given an object of any
  type, it should be possible to describe a new object that gathers
  several into an array, yields it from a function, or is a pointer to
  it.... [This] led to a
  declaration syntax for names mirroring that of the expression syntax
  in which the names typically appear. Thus,
int i, *pi, **ppi; declare an integer, a pointer to an integer, a
  pointer to a pointer to an integer. The syntax of these declarations
  reflects the observation that i, *pi, and **ppi all yield an int type
  when used in an expression.
Similarly, int f(), *f(), (*f)(); declare
  a function returning an integer, a function returning a pointer to an
  integer, a pointer to a function returning an integer. int *api[10],
  (*pai)[10]; declare an array of pointers to integers, and a pointer to
  an array of integers.
In all these cases the declaration of a
  variable resembles its usage in an expression whose type is the one
  named at the head of the declaration.
An accident of syntax contributed to the perceived complexity of the
  language. The indirection operator, spelled * in C, is syntactically a
  unary prefix operator, just as in BCPL and B. This works well in
  simple expressions, but in more complex cases, parentheses are
  required to direct the parsing. For example, to distinguish
  indirection through the value returned by a function from calling a
  function designated by a pointer, one writes *fp() and (*pf)()
  respectively. The style used in expressions carries through to
  declarations, so the names might be declared
int *fp(); int (*pf)();
In more ornate but still realistic cases,
  things become worse: int *(*pfp)(); is a pointer to a function
  returning a pointer to an integer.
There are two effects occurring.
  Most important, C has a relatively rich set of ways of describing
  types (compared, say, with Pascal). Declarations in languages as
  expressive as C—Algol 68, for example—describe objects equally hard to
  understand, simply because the objects themselves are complex. A
  second effect owes to details of the syntax. Declarations in C must be
  read in an `inside-out' style that many find difficult to grasp.
  Sethi [Sethi 81] observed that many of the nested
  declarations and expressions would become simpler if the indirection
  operator had been taken as a postfix operator instead of prefix, but
  by then it was too late to change.

A: Page 65 of Expert C Programming: Deep C Secrets includes the following: And then, there is the C philosophy that the declaration of an object should look like its use.
Page 216 of The C Programming Language, 2nd edition (aka K&R) includes: A declarator is read as an assertion that when its identifier appears in an expression of the same form as the declarator, it yields an object of the specified type.
I prefer the way van der Linden puts it.

A: Haha, I feel your pain, I had the exact same problem.
I thought a pointer should be declared as &int because it makes sense that a pointer is an address of something.
After a while I thought for myself, every type in C has to be read backwards, like
int * const a
is for me
a constant something, when dereferenced equals an int.
Something that has to be dereferenced, has to be a pointer.

A: The reason is clearer if you write it like this:
int x, *y;

That is, both x and *y are ints. Thus y is an int *.

A: That is a language decision that predates C++, as C++ inherited it from C. I once heard that the motivation was that the declaration and the use would be equivalent, that is, given a declaration int *p; the expression *p is of type int in the same way that with int i; the expression i is of type int.


The Imperial Junk, traditional sailboat built of wood with modern facilities and first class service, is perfect for exploring Halong bay. Relaxing, enjoying the amazing Halong Bay on the comfortable sundeck. Exploring the mystery of Halong Bay kayaking.
Our family had a wonderful time on the Legend Imperial Cruise. It was my birthday on the first night and I was surprised with a cake and singing from the tour group and crew. It was lovely. Both Adam and Thomas were excellent – Adam sharing alot of knowledge and stories about Vietnam and Thomas looking after us extremely well on the boat. If time permits, make sure you book the 3D/2N cruise. A visit to Cat Ba Island will be the highlight of your trip – plus the opportunity to cruise more of Halong Bay.
On the boat, the food, service, room, activities etc were simply excellent. I can't recommend this tour highly enough!
The staff was very friendly and fun, the food was good, the boat felt safe, and the rooms were surprisingly quite nice. They also serve drinks at a cheap price. For the price, you can't beat this cruise. Highly recommend.


Marcia Moody is an accomplished author and writer. She has penned two biographies, has written for every major magazine and newspaper, and she's currently a columnist for Weight Watchers Magazine as she charts her weight loss journey.
She's also my dear friend and my go-to friend for no-nonsense, real life advice, which is why I couldn't wait to get her on the show.
In this episode we talk about her weight loss journey with Weight Watchers which you can follow on instagram @wwmarcia and the two biographies she penned on Kate Middleton and Prince Harry.
She also tells me about the times she went to the Oscars in LA - more than once I hasten to add - and the celebrities she's most enjoyed interviewing in her career.


Test your mastermind knowledge of the Death Note universe and franchise. These are fiendishly difficult Death Note questions to challenge the most ardent fan and thwart probably half the Wammy House alumni too.
1, What is the name of Aizawa's daughter?
2, Hal Lidner is a pseudonym, what is her real name?
3, About whom did How to Read 13 state had an 'innocent heart'?
4, Which Death Note character did actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama bring to life in the anime?
5, Which five countries did Tsugumi Ohba cite as mixing to provide L's ancestry?
6, What was Watari's original pseudonym - changed by Tsugumi Ohba before the Death Note manga went to print?
7, From which classic work is lifted the line 'I am the God of this New World'?
8, Which character in Death Note was born on Christmas Day and died on Valentine's Day?
9, What was the name of the Shinjuku spree killer and hostage taker at a pre-school on whom Light first tested the death note?
10, Name a single member of the SPK killed by Mello testing his Death Note.
11, How long does a Death Note owner have to write in the details, after first assigning a mode of death?
12, What occurred within the Death Note franchise on December 25th 2007?
13, Which high school did Light Yagami attend?
14, Which university did both Light Yagami and Kiyomi Takada attend?
15, What accolade was awarded to Kiyomi Takada shortly after entering university?
17, How many sheets of paper from the Death Note did Kira initially send to Teru Mikami?
18, How does Near get rid of Mogi's phone - during the Manhattan riot - so that it can't be used to track their party?
19, Where does Misa's sister live?
20, According to Light, for what might he consider giving up half of his life-span rather than shinigami eyes?
21, On what television shows was Kiyomi Takada a news anchorwoman?
22, By what nickname was Takada affectively known by viewers at the time of becoming Kira's spokesperson?
23, Who was admitted to Ibaraki Hospital suffering from a heart attack?
24, Where did Teru Mikami study law?
26, 'To soar freely through the skies', Light quotes to Ryuk in the manga chapter 'Control'. But from what is he quoting?
27, In policing, what is Aizawa's speciality?
28, Under what circumstance can a God of Death kill the owner of a Death Note?
29, Which pair met in Room 2501 of the Teito Hotel?
30, What number bus was hijacked so Light Yagami could find out Raye Penbar's name?
31, Who introduced Near to the President of the United States?
32, How many cars does Kyosuke Higuchi own?
33, In which hospital did Soichiro Yagami die?
34, According to Mello, which human character may have been born with Shinigami eyes?
35, What are Misa's nicknames for Mogi and Aizawa?
36, How much did Light's mini-TV cost?
37, Whose name may be Romanised to Mairu Jīvasu?
38, For what did Aiber charge the Yotsuba Group $2.5m?
39, What was Naomi Misora's pseudonym during the Kira case?
40, Who stayed in Room 1054, Holy Chateau Hotel, Hollywood, California?
41, Who booked into the Lake Hotel, Los Angeles, California?
42, Why did Misa kill Ginzo Kaneboshi?
43, The inconsistency of which character annoyed Death Note artist Takeshi Obata (because he identified the same 'flaw' in his own character)?
44, What acts as a key to the secret compartment holding the death note in Light's drawer?
45, Whose HQ was located at 5836, Gray Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89152?
46, How many sugars does Light take in his tea and coffee?
47, How did Mrs Mikami (Teru's mother) die?
48, Whose call icon depicts a white background with the black Old English font letters - Ai?
49, What was the address, in Los Angeles, CA 90103, where Mello was hiding out when Light and Misa found him?
50, John Wallace was the fourth alias of which character?
51, Which main Death Note characters were killed in Karuizawa, just off the road to Nagano?
52, What was the pin number, held by Mogi, which unlocked a safebox containing Light's death note?
53, The original press pack CD cover artwork for the three Death Note live-action movie soundtracks contained an unusual feature. What was it?
54, Post Kira case, Near uses the Old English font for his call icon initial - just like everyone else - but during the Kira case, his N (and Light's L when called by Near) utilized another font. What was it?
55, In what capacity did Miho Sato beat Kiyomi Takada?
56, What does Mikami do every Thursday and Sunday, from 9pm-10.30pm?
57, A summarily executed rebel remained unidentified in the Tokyo live news reports on January 26th 2010. Can you identify the rebel?
58, What role did Captain Kyle Block play in Death Note?
59, Before Tsugumi Ohba settled upon the mononym L, he strongly considered two other letters to name his character. What letters were they?
60, What is the last line of dialogue in Death Note?
5, Japan, England, Russia, France, Italy.
10, Ill Ratt (aka Shawn Dunleavy), John McEnroe (aka Larry Conners), Ellickson Gardner (aka Ellickson Thomas). Death Note Relight adds two more: Adolph Tucker and Kurt McBride.
11, Six minutes and 40 seconds.
12, The novel L: Change the World was published by Shueisha in Japan.
13, Taikoku Gakuen High School.
16, Haley Belle, Llan Zapack, Arire Weekwood, Ale Funderrem, Freddi Guntair, Knick Staek, Bess Sekliet, Frigde Copen, Toors Denote, Girela Sevenstar and Nikola Nasberg.
18, Puts it in some random passer-by's pocket.
21, News 6 and News 9, on NHN.
25, Ill Ratt - Mello's informant in the SPK.
26, The Soar feature from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire games.
28, Only a God of Death that has passed on their Death Note to a human is able to kill the owner of a Death Note.
29, Light Yagami and Kiyomi Takada.
31, FBI Director Steve Mason.
34, Beyond Birthday (Another Note).
38, To show his face and work alongside them to identify L.
42, To prove to Kyosuke Higuchi that she was the Second Kira.
44, The plastic cartridge of a pen.
45, Kal Snydar, aka Jack Neylon, owner of the Mafia's Death Note.
46, None in coffee; one sugar cube in tea.
47, Joyriders - Teru's school bullies - crashed their car into a wall. She was a bystander, who was crushed to death in the accident.
50, Thierry Morello, aka Aiber, aka Eraldo Coil.
51, Mello and Kiyomi Takada.
53, Glow in the dark artwork.
55, A magazine popularity poll. Miho Sato was her fellow news anchor at NHN.
56, Go to the gym.
58, He was the pilot of Flight SE333 from Narita to Los Angeles, who deviated from his flight path in order to drop Soichiro Yagami off in the desert.
Where did questions 11-20 go?
My profound apologies. I had this prepared for a while, but the actual posting was done in a rush, then I was away with family for the holidays. I've only just seen the error. *sigh* It must have been a bug in the formatting.


A tight, fine, line issues forth from your Lamy pen in beautiful ink.
This fine grade Lamy nib has a very tight and controlled stream of ink. The more directly angled nib is designed for those with a more spidery or cramped writing style.
All Lamy nibs are factory tested so it is not uncommon for ink to be present on a brand new item.


This SFP (mini-GBIC) transceiver module is designed for use with Cisco network equipment and is equivalent to Cisco part number GLC-LH-SM. This product is 100% functionally tested, and compatibility is guaranteed. EM specific configuration data is loaded on to the EEPROM of the transceiver at the factory, allowing this transceiver to initialize and perform identically to an OEM transceiver. This transceiver may be mixed and deployed with other OEM or third party transceivers and will deliver seamless network performance.
This page was printed on 4/24/2019 7:58:55 AM.